Lutung

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Lutungs

Francois' Langur (Trachypithecus francoisi)

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Primates
Family:	Cercopithecidae
Subfamily:	Colobinae
Genus:	Trachypithecus Reichenbach, 1862

Type species

Semnopithecus pyrrhus
Horsfield, 1823
(= Cercopithecus auratus É. Geoffroy, 1812)

Species

17, see text

The lutungs are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the genus Trachypithecus. Their range is split into two parts; one part is much of southeast Asia (northeast India, southern China, Borneo, Thailand, Jawa and Bali), the other part is extreme southern India and Sri Lanka. The majority of India has no lutungs. Most of the species in this genus can be referred to as lutungs, as langurs, or as leaf monkeys.

Lutungs have a rather slim build with a long tail. The fur coloring varies depending upon species from black and grey to orange yellow. Many species have skin designs and a brighter lower surface, the hair on the head are often compared to a hood. Their arms are very short in comparison to the feet and their thumbs are also somewhat shorter. The inner surfaces of the hands and feet are hairless so that their fur doesn't get caught when reaching into branches. These animals reach a length of 40 to 80 cm and a weight of 5 to 15 kg, with males generally larger than females. A bulge over the eyes and other details, primarily in the head, differentiate it from the surilis.

Lutungs live in the forests, often preferring rain forests although occasionally they are also found in secluded mountain forests. They spend the largest part of the day in the trees, where they crawl along the branches on all fours, although they can also jump well from tree to tree. They are diurnal, although more active in the early mornings and the afternoon.

They live in groups of 5 to 20 animals, mostly in harems, i.e. a single male with several females. Young males must leave their birth group when fully mature, often forming bachelor groups. If a new male takes over a harem, defeating and scaring off the harem leader, it often kills the children of the group. Lutungs are territorial, with loud shouting to defend their territory from other lutung interlopers, resorting to force if the outsiders aren't scared off. They have a common repertoire of sounds with which they warn group members. Also, mutual grooming plays an important role.

Lutungs are herbivores, primarily eating leaves, fruits and buds. In order to digest the hard leaves, they developed a multichambered stomach.

Rarely twins, a typical single birth comes after a seven month gestation period. Newborns usually have a golden-yellow fur. The mother shares responsibilities of rearing the young with the other females ("aunties") of the harem. They hand the young around, play with it, carry it and cuddle it, while the mother searches for food. If the mother dies, another female adopts the young animal. Lutungs are weaned in the latter half of their first year, and reach full maturity at 4 to 5 years. The life expectancy is estimated at 20 years.

[edit] Species

Genus Trachypithecus
- T. vetulus group
  - Purple-faced Langur, Trachypithecus vetulus
  - Nilgiri Langur, Trachypithecus johnii
- T. cristatus group
  - Ebony or Javan Lutung, Trachypithecus auratus
    - Spangled Ebony or Eastern Javan Lutung, Trachypithecus auratus auratus
    - Western Javan Lutung, Trachypithecus auratus mauritius
  - Silvery Lutung or Silvered Leaf Monkey, Trachypithecus cristatus
    - Trachypithecus cristatus cristatus
    - Trachypithecus cristatus vigilans
  - Indochinese Lutung, Trachypithecus germaini
    - Germain's Silver Lutung, Trachypithecus germaini germaini
    - Trachypithecus germaini caudalis
  - Tenasserim Lutung, Trachypithecus barbei
- T. obscurus group
  - Dusky Leaf Monkey or Spectacled Leaf Monkey, Trachypithecus obscurus
    - Reid's Dusky Langur, Trachypithecus obscurus obscurus
    - Trachypithecus obscurus flavicauda
    - Trachypithecus obscurus halonifer
    - Trachypithecus obscurus carbo
    - Trachypithecus obscurus styx
    - Trachypithecus obscurus seimundi
    - Trachypithecus obscurus sactorum
  - Phayre's Leaf Monkey, Trachypithecus phayrei
    - Trachypithecus phayrei phayrei
    - Trachypithecus phayrei crepusculus
    - Trachypithecus phayrei shanicus
- T. pileatus group
  - Capped Langur, Trachypithecus pileatus
    - Blond-bellied Langur, Trachypithecus pileatus pileatus
    - Orange-bellied Langur, Trachypithecus pileatus durga
    - Buff-bellied Langur, Trachypithecus pileatus brahma
    - Tenebrous Capped Langur, Trachypithecus pileatus tenebricus
  - Shortridge's Langur, Trachypithecus shortridgei
  - Gee's Golden Langur, Trachypithecus geei
- T. francoisi group
  - Francois' Langur, Trachypithecus francoisi
  - Hatinh Langur, Trachypithecus hatinhensis
  - White-headed Langur, Trachypithecus poliocephalus
    - Cat Ba Hooded Black Langur, Trachypithecus poliocephalus poliocephalus
    - White-headed Black Langur, Trachypithecus poliocephalus leucocephalus
  - Laotian Langur, Trachypithecus laotum
  - Delacour's Langur, Trachypithecus delacouri
  - Indochinese Black Langur, Trachypithecus ebenus

[edit] References

Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 175-178. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.